New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-03
ESCAPE OF A WOMAN FROM CUSTODY.
LOCKED UP AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS, SHE ELUDEe
HER SLEEPING GUARD AT NIGHT.

LOCKED UP AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS, SHE ELUDEs
HER SLEEPING GUARD AT NIGHT.
There was furry Of excitement at Police Head
quarters Yesterday morning when ii was known that
a prisoner Mrs. j. E. McElbrey, mulatto woman OF
WILMINGTON, n. c., had escaped from the binding.
She vas arrested on the steamer Gulf Stream when
the vessel srrs ed Thursday, the police having been
asked bv the authorities of Wilmington to lock her up
ON n charge of embezzlement. AS she had with her
a p,rl age three Acting Superintendent Steers de-
casd mot 70 have her locked in cell. ii sent her to
Matron webb's rooms the top floor OF the Central
Offce and detailed two policemen OF the steamboat
souad to ttke turns in watching her. Mrs. McElorey
and her child were placed In q room communicating
only with the ,hIldrens nursery The door opening
from the nursery into the hall was locked and the key
was taken of tho lock and hung up on gas nknre
in the dining room. The door between the dining
room and tho nursery was locked Also. ,
At midnight Patrolmsn Walter renewed the other
policeman, who had watched from p m Under
standing what arrsn gements had been naoe LOT tne
safety of the prisoner Walter decided to make himself
comfortable 10 the dningroom instead OF sitting IN
the hall. About q. m. yesterday ne heard the
woman knocking the door between the dining room
and the nursery. He unlocked the door and asked
what she wanted She said che wanted drink OF
water and he procured it Tor her, The woman was
missing at @ o. m. servant in the employ oil mat on
Webb aid she found the policeman asleep Ia the
dining at that hour and tho doors open between
the hall and the cry and the dinngfoom ana ,ne
nursery she have lett the building by the Null
berryst door but the officer duty on the nrst moor
said he was writing in the Information bureau at
o'clock and did not hear any person go OUT
Walter denied that he asleep and also denied
that tho door between the dining room ana tne
nursery was unlocked at the time OF the womans
escape. Possibly she managed to get the Key TO me
hall door OF the nursery wbsn he got drine OF wat"r
for her ut a m The woman lett her child and bag
gage behind her and had little money 10 escape wtn'
be child said her mother told her: will DO back
in the evening" general alarm directed the police
TO search tor the woman Acting Super ntendent
Steers thought she would soon be renrresed but ne
ordered Captain Gastln to make charges against
Policeman Walter.
In the evening Two coored boys called Mt headquarters
and asked IN there was n colored baby there. They
said a colored woman had sent them Tor the chid.
When the boys went out Sergeant Cooper iaid asine
his unlform and followed them TO Downing ana
Blocker SITS. At first there were no signs OF the
woman, but in q few minutes she came mp from
the basement OF the Roman Catholic Chnrcn OF ~
va, taken back 10 Headquarters and locked up In a
cell She refused n tell how she escaped but she had
90 ne 10 an intelligence Office I'm Si1thave and obtained
situation As cook aud chambsrmaid with family In
Thirteth.st Word received At Police Headquarters
last evening that detectives were on the WAY from
Wilmington ~ c., with requisition for her return